


Sixty-Four

by notjustmom



Series: Box of 64 [64]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Established Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, F/F, M/M, Parentlock, Sherlock's Birthday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-24 09:00:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16171880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: Sherlock's sixty-fourth birthday...





	Sixty-Four

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scrub456](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrub456/gifts), [PatPrecieux](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatPrecieux/gifts).



The house was quiet. Too quiet. Sherlock stretched out his arm, and found the space next to him empty and cold, John had been awake for hours. He kept his eyes shut tight and listened. It was snowing. He remembered Rosie's first snow storm, how long ago was that now? There was a sound in the kitchen, John getting his tea? How late was it? He reached out for his specs and pushed them down onto his nose, he needed a stronger prescription soon, would mean going to London. He sighed and picked up his phone. January 6. Damn. His birthday, again.

Sixty-four.

Which meant John was nearing seventy. How was that even possible? It meant Rosie and Lily were twenty-six, Nate was two, no, he was three now, already. 

There should be more noise, they were visiting, probably had timed their visit just for his birthday. Olive stretched at the end of the bed and yawned in his direction. 

"Yeah, yeah, alright." He sat up and scratched her head. "You're not wet, haven't been out in the snow yet."

"PAPAJ!!" Nate screeched as he flew into the kitchen. "'now!! We made a 'now-man!"

"Pops is still sleeping, why don't you go sit at the table, cocoa's almost ready."

"Marthmallows?"

"Of course." Sherlock could hear the smile in John's voice. John loved it when Nate visited, he felt he had missed too much of Rosie's toddlerhood, and he cherished the time he had with their grandson.

"Grandson, Olive. How do the two of us have a grandson?" Olive raised an eyebrow at him and he rolled his eyes. "Right. Up. I'm getting up, girl. Need the loo, and then I'll get dressed, hmmm?" He went into the bathroom and sighed as he met his reflection in the mirror. "Old, how did you manage to get old?"

"Not old, distinguished." John muttered at his ear.

Sherlock snorted. "So distinguished I couldn't hear you walk into the bathroom. Maybe I need my hearing checked again."

"Your hearing is fine. I bet you heard the snow, didn't you?"

Sherlock nodded and closed his eyes as John wrapped his arms around him and kissed his unruly silver curls. "Need a haircut."

"Nah, I like it long. Don't you know you're perfect?"

"John."

"Do you know how lucky I am that you've been here, that I've had all these years with you? To see you become the gentle, loving man that you are? I'll leave you be, so you can get dressed, Olive was waiting for you to walk her." He lowered his voice to a whisper, and rumbled at his ear, "Nate has a present for you. He's very excited to give it to you, so -"

"I know, I know, put on a happy face?" Sherlock grimaced at John, then winked at him. "A hint?"

"No hints. Not going to spoil the surprise. It's a good one. Promise." John left the room singing under his breath:

"...Will you still need me, will you still feed me  
When I'm sixty-four  
You'll be older too  
And if you say the word  
I could stay with you..."*

"The Beatles, before noon, Olive, I ask you..." Sherlock huffed, but got dressed, and Olive followed him out to the kitchen.

"Pops!!" Nate shrieked as he spotted Sherlock.

"Morning, Master Nate. How is the snow?"

"Deep and cold, but good 'nowball snow."

Sherlock grinned at him and ruffled his curls. "Let me take Olive out so she can do what she needs to do, and I'll be right back?"

Nate nodded at him, but Sherlock could see how excited he was, he was nearly bouncing out of his chair. 

"She'll be quick. Promise."

"'kay."

 

"How is he, Papa?" Rosie asked, a slightly worried look in her eyes.

"He's fine, Rosie. You know how he is on his birthday. He's a bit grumbly, but -" John shrugged and watched as Sherlock opened the kitchen door again, then stomped his feet to knock the snow off, with Olive in his arms.

"You were right, Master Nate, it is deep and cold, Olive nearly fell in."

"Is it time?" Nate asked his Mums. "Now? Pwe - please?"

Lily met Sherlock's eyes and nodded with a grin. As Nate scrambled from his chair and ran to his room, she whispered, "he picked out the presents on his own."

Sherlock bit his lip and nodded as he dropped into his chair.

"Here ya go, Pops!" Nate climbed into his lap and offered Sherlock a bright purple bag, complete with balloons.

"Balloons? For me!?"

Nate nodded. "Open it?"

"Yes, of course." Sherlock nodded at Nate to open the bag. The little boy put his hand in, and pulled out a wrapped box. "Mum Lil wrapped it, but I picked all of it out."

Sherlock carefully unwrapped the box and his breath caught before he whispered, "crayons. 64 crayons. Still has the sharpener."

"Yup." Nate grinned at him. "And -"

"Colouring books? The poisonous plant book. And dinosaurs. I love dinosaurs. Did Mama Ro ever tell you about when I brought home her first box?"

"Uh-huh. Do you wanna colour, Pops? With me?"

"There's nothing else I'd rather do, Master Nate. Let's go sit at the table, hmm? Maybe PapaJ can get me a cup of that cocoa?"

John grinned at him from across the room, and Sherlock winked at him again, with a twinkle in his eyes. 

"With marthmallows?"

"Of course. How else?"

"Happy birthday, Pops." Nate wrapped his arms around Sherlock's neck and kissed his nose.

Sherlock sniffed and nodded. "Thank you, Nate. It's the best birthday ever."

"Cuz of the present?"

Sherlock shook his head. "I love the present, but it's the best birthday ever, because I get to spend it with you, and your Mums and your PapaJ, and Olive and -"

"The 'now?"

Sherlock smiled at the little boy who quickly scrambled out of his lap. "And the 'now."

"Pops!"

"Coming, Master Nate."

**Author's Note:**

> This is the 'official' last bit of the Box of 64 series, I still have a bit of work to do to get Ro and Lil married, and there may be more of this verse at a later date.
> 
> * 'When I'm Sixty-Four' by Lennon/McCartney


End file.
